Based on the calendar and the wave of pumpkin recipes hitting food blogs, autumn has arrived. Too bad we’re not feeling the love in Missouri. Our high for today is 83! So for our neck of the woods this post is a bit ill timed. Soup is best enjoyed in jeans and a sweater… not the shorts and flip flops our weird weather is forcing on us.
But it is the Midwest, so surely by the time I’ve written this post the winds will have changed and we’ll be facing a cold front. It’s coming…
If you’re lucky enough to be basking in some crisp breezes you can make this soup right away. And if that’s not the case (I’m looking at you St. Louis) then just tuck this recipe into your file for a few weeks.
It’s a little ironic that I’m bad mouthing the weather because I made this recipe in the heat of summer. I had just pulled from the corner of shame where many boxes lived in our condo after we moved in been reunited with The Sriracha Cookbook and was inspired by all of the fresh corn at the market. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I would actually want this dish when there would be no fresh corn in sight. So I opted to work on it with some of Trader Joe’s Roasted Corn so I could tell you if this gem would be available in the depths of winter. I’m happy to say it turned out great…. well actually it turned out to be too spicy, but I’ve adjusted the Sriracha below. If you’re not a spice fanatic I suggest starting with just 2 tablespoons and setting out the bottle to add more as needed.
So here you have it. A summer-tested recipe that I wanted to ensure was good for winter but will make an awesome meal this fall (if we ever get fall…)
Spicy Corn Chowder
Modified from The Sriracha’s Cookbook’s Fire-Roasted Corn Chowder
2 red bell peppers
2 red onions
4 cups frozen corn
5 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups vegetable stock
¼ cup Sriracha
½ tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
½ cup non-fat sour cream
1 ½ cups roasted corn
A few chives for garnish
Chop bell pepper and red onion. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onions and cook until softened slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, thaw corn and mince garlic. Add corn and garlic to pot and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add stock, Sriracha, thyme, bay leaves. Bring to a boil then simmer for 45 minutes.
Discard bay leaf and puree soup in batches using a food processor or in the pot with an immersion blender. Stir in sour cream and gently heat soup over low heat. Cook the roasted corn in the microwave, if using frozen. Reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish and divide the rest between two bowls. Top the roasted corn with soup and garnish with snipped chives and reserved corn.
Notes: This recipe makes a ton of soup, far more than two people can eat. The only thing sized down is the amount of roasted corn. I kept the proportions because I like to be able to freeze soup for quick meals later on or take leftovers for lunch. Don’t forget you’ll want extra roasted corn for those additional meals.
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